The hivemind is conquering for me?

It was like we were being toyed with. Phoebe had mentioned that her squad was capable of taking down a warlord, and perhaps they could, but this warlord kept up with every single one of us with ease.

That wasn’t to say we weren’t getting in damage, we were. We cut deep, impaled and burnt flesh, but the Warlord’s regeneration was insane. The only attack he had actively avoided was Phoebe’s void beam.

The height advantage was not helping either. At twenty feet tall all most of us could reach was his legs. I was using my Gyrokinesis to help change the directions of engagement as much as I could, but whenever I engaged, the warlord allowed its guard to drop against the others in an attempt to execute me.

All the while, the Drakoshi had regrouped and began a counter attack, not with berserk charging and war cry’s, but with silent cold discipline as they acted like true soldiers for the first time this war.

As a result the balance of power shifted quickly and I could hear retreat orders coming in from the short range communicator.

This would leave us isolated in no time as we were already in deadlock with the Warlord, if the Drakoshi line caught back up to us after their fallback, we would be in serious trouble.

The others must have thought the same as I heard Phoebe yell. ”Initiate retreat.”

The Warlord also heard this order and laughed. ”I don’t think so!”

The Warlord then turned towards me, exposing itself and did something I did not expect. It threw its warhammer at me while I was in the air.

By sheer dumb luck, I managed to dodge the majority of the flying hunk of metal, but I didn’t dodge it all. My armour broke in numerous locations as I was once more sent hurdling towards the ground.

My body was in agony, but I ignored the pain. I had to as the Warlord didn’t waste time and was now above me, raising its leg to squash me underneath its claw.

However, I didn’t realise how much damage that last blow caused me. My legs were broken. Seriously broken and I didn’t have enough momentum to dodge away with Gyrokinesis.

I raised Zircon up in defence, but I knew it was akin to a large splinter for this fucker. Still I braced.

However, before the foot could come down, a large burst of energy erupted. I could tell it was from the other side of the battlefield, but I could still feel it. The energy seemed to stun the Warlord for a moment as it turned. I then heard it mumble.

”A new brother? This should be good.”

It then turned its attention back to me and attempted to stomp me again, but this time it was assaulted. A thirty foot snake suddenly wrapped around the Warlord’s upper body and began to squeeze as hard as it could.

Sithrik was blazing red, her fire engulfing her entire form. The warlord struggled for a moment, yelling in agony as the fire burnt him deeply, all the while the others continued their attacks.

”Filthy beast!” It roared as it managed to get a grasp of Sithrik’s body. ”Get off me!” The Warlord yelled in anger and pulled in two directions.

Sithrik’s body could not hold up to the intense strain and was instantly torn in two.

”NO!!!!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. As I watched Sithrik’s head hand limply in the Warlord’s hands.

”Was this your pet, Purple reaper? Then take it back!”

The Warlord then threw half of Sithrik’s body with her head attached to it towards me. I rushed to my feet, ignoring the crunching of my bones in time to take the full force of Sithrik’s body, sending me backwards as I tried to absorb as much impact as I could.

As we landed, I worried not about myself and focused on Sithrik. Her eyes lingered upon me for a moment, still alive. It looked like she tried to say something, but her eyes then lost their light as she faded.

Time seemed to stop for a moment as I looked at the corpse of my odd little snake bleeding what was left in her body over my own.

This Warlord. It killed Gabrielle and now it kills my snake?

’It dares to harm my friends?’

My eyes suddenly became engulfed with violet Psionic energy

’It dares to harm my concubine?’

I held Sithrik close as I began to rise off the ground effortlessly.

’It dares to harm me?’

I looked up at the Warlord, its body was in transit. It appeared to be running towards me. It thought it could kill me.

”You think you can kill me?”

Rage began to engulf me. Absorb me. Anger was directed at this foe. This pest. My survival was paramount. It would not kill me. I was superior. In every way. I was better. was unfathomable. My Origin had no equal.

I then boomed in a voice that both was and was not my own.

”How dare you!”

...

Nerissa’s heart attempted to remain cold in the midst of combat, but she was struggling. As she approached the back of the Warlord, she knew not the fate of Apollo. She did the only thing she could do while she covered the distance, while knowing she wouldn’t make it in time.

She prayed.

’Please live. Please live. Please live. Please live.’

She prayed, even though she knew there was no one listening. But how could she not? It would take a miracle to save Apollo at this moment it would take a G-

”BEGONE!”

A voice impossibly loud yelled in a regal anger as a torrent of energy shot up into the sky where Apollo was.

A second later, the warlord was sent flying. Literally. Its large body acted like a cannonball, smashing through the fortress walls hundreds of meters behind it and further still.

Nerissa traced it for as long as she could before turning her attention back to Apollo.

She had seen this before.

When they first met. Apollo had called it a survival instinct, but looking at it now once more. Feeling the immense power radiating from him. Seeing his aura. It was indomitable. It was... Holy.

His eyes then turned towards her. Not just her, the others present and decreed. ”Find Gabrielle’s body. We retreat at once. My vessel cannot withstand my power much longer. I am too injured.”

No one moved. The other Nymphs were stunned by what they were seeing. It was then Rhapso who yelled out. ”You heard the man! The battle is lost. We need to regroup and prepare for a counter offensive!”

The other Nymphs regained themselves hearing a familiar voice. Phoebe then composed herself. ”Marnes. Find Gabrielle. Aeteos, reclaim our fallen Snakes lower body. The rest of us, rear guard until we know all are safe.”

Nerissa took one last glance at Apollo. His eyes were staring at Sithrik’s body he was holding in his arms. She closed her eyes for a moment in order to tear herself away from the most intriguing sight as now was not the time. Now was the time for her to kill as many Drakoshi as possible in the shortest amount of time possible.

In the name of Apollo.

...

I began to float away. My mind felt elevated. I was in control of this state once more. I felt invincible, but that was on borrowed time. Not risking Psionic decay again, I began coming down immediately now that the Warlord was no longer a threat.

I don’t think my blast was enough to kill the bastard, but I sent it far.

My eyes kept on lingering on Sithrik. The guilt in my heart was too much. She was a simple, beautiful creature and she sacrificed herself to save me.

”I am sorry.” I whispered and hugged her body as I made my way back onto the ground.

I began to coil her as best as I could so she looked more dignified in her death. She was royalty after all, she deserved that at least.

I found myself just drawn to her. It was all my fault. She shouldn’t have been here. This was not her war... This is not even my war. I shouldn’t have come here. Because of me she and, most likely, Gabrielle were dead.

I should have just stayed with Jewel and this innocent creature wouldn’t have suffered such a death. Gabrielle wouldn’t be dead.

”Raaarrggh.” I let out a sorrowful cry of anguish and squeezed Sithrik tightly, pressing my head against hers.

I just stayed there for a moment before feeling a tap against my shoulder. Turning around, it was Sapphire. I looked at her confused, feeling her out of timing excitement and urgency.

As I was about to scold her and tell her to go back into the Mindspace for her safety, she used her claw and cut open a large gash along Sithrik’s corpse.

I was seriously about to flip my lid at Sapphire for that, but before I could I noticed something thrumming inside of the cut.

A glowing blue heart.